Facebook is going live on NBA All-Star weekend
NBA and Turner Sports are teaming up to show NBA All-Star festivities on Facebook Live.
Hey, wanna watch the NBA slam dunk contest on Facebook along with basketball great Kevin Garnett?
Well, you're in luck.
The NBA and Turner Sports are teaming up with Facebook Live for the annual All-Star slam dunk contest. The show will feature Garnett, an analyst at Turner-owned TNT, and some of his friends during the popular exhibition event, which features Orlando Magic star Aaron Gordon. (Gordon is the overwhelming favorite to win.)
You can go to Facebook Live during the NBA's slam dunk contest on Saturday to see what Kevin Garnett has to say about Aaron Gordon (above).
Expect a lot of trash talking, as well as some laughs, as Garnett, a 15-time all star who retired last year via Instagram, takes questions from fans on his KG Area 21 Facebook Page. Think of Facebook as a second-screen option to complement TNT's live broadcast of the league's popular All-Star Saturday Night festivities, coming to us this year from New Orleans.
Since Facebook Live jumped on the scene more than a year ago, it's become the most popular live-streaming feature on social media. The NBA and Turner want to capitalize by attempting to reach out to some 650 million Facebook users who are connected to at least one sports page on the platform.
"This is another way to bring fans closer to the action," said Morgan Dewan, a vice president of social media at the network. "Of course there will be the dunks, but to also see KG and his buddies' reactions will be quite interesting."
Facebook Live will play a central role in bringing the weekend's NBA events to fans.
On Saturday, Facebook Live will carry NBA TV's broadcast of the announcement of finalists for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The NBA's Developmental League (D-League) will stream its dunk and three-point contests on Facebook Live, too, through its NBA D-League page.
TNT will also stream the player introductions ahead of the all-star game tip-off on Facebook Live.
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